When the New England Patriots released Jabrill Peppers last month, it was widely considered a surprising move.
Peppers looked set to start in New England under new head coach Mike Vrabel, and he was even coming off a season in which he was a team captain.
But none of that saved Peppers, who was cut loose before eventually landing with the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year deal.
So, why did the Patriots cut Peppers?
Well, he believes it’s as simple as the Pats didn’t think he was good enough.
“It just is what it is. Sometimes, you’re not good enough. You play a long time in this league, you’re gonna get traded or cut… I’m happy Tomlin made the call,” Peppers said, per Alan Saunders of Steelers Now.
While some thought Peppers was cut because he just wasn’t a good fit in the defense, Vrabel said that was not the case, although he did not offer specifics.
“That was not the issue. We’re going to try to do what is best for the team. We have a lot of different schemes we can run in all three phase,” Vrabel said. “There is a lot that goes into it, and we are just trying to build toward Sunday. That was a decision we had to make and I wish the best for Jabrill.”
Peppers has a chance to play a significant role immediately. Starting safety DeShon Elliott looks set to miss multiple weeks after sustaining a knee injury in Week 1, opening the door for Peppers to start.
The veteran is expected to make his Steelers debut in Week 2 when Pittsburgh hosts the Seattle Seahawks at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday.
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